Have certain misconceptions held you back from working with a virtual assistant?
Hiring virtual medical assistants has become increasingly popular in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Yet, many practices may still hesitate to bring them on board because of some misconceptions.
Keep reading to learn more about common misconceptions and the facts about virtual medical assistants.
Virtual Medical Assistants Can Only Handle Administrative Tasks
Many people believe that virtual medical assistants are just remote secretaries. However, that’s not the case. While virtual medical assistants excel in administrative work, they also bring a range of skills to the table.
They’re adept at multiple tasks, including updating your EHR, insurance verification, claims processing, remote patient monitoring, facilitating telehealth, social media management, marketing, customer service, and more.
So their role isn’t tied to administrative work only. This allows you to tap into an array of skills without needing extra hires, making them a valuable asset to a growing practice.
Equally important, a virtual assistant frees up your time, allowing you to do what you do best: caring for your patients.
It’s Difficult to Communicate with a Virtual Medical Assistant
Another common misconception is that it’s hard to communicate with a virtual assistant because they work remotely. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Effective communication is among the key benefits of professional virtual assistants. Thanks to communication apps and technology, communicating with a virtual assistant is just like communicating with your in-house staff.
Tools like ClickUp, Zoom, Asana, and Skype have made communication seamless. Now more than ever, it’s easier to stay connected with a virtual assistant regardless of the distance.
Professional virtual assistants are proficient in different tools, ensuring that distance doesn’t get in the way of smooth collaboration.
Virtual Assistants Don’t Need Onboarding and Training
Professional virtual assistants have proper training and are experts in their fields. Still, they require training and onboarding.
You shouldn’t delegate tasks to your virtual assistant as soon as you hire them and expect them to deliver. They need to adapt their skills to your practice’s standards and expectations.
An effective onboarding process offers many benefits, including:
- Establishes clear communication between the virtual assistant and your in-office team from the jump
- Equips the virtual assistant with the knowledge and tools required to perform their new job efficiently
- Ensures your virtual medical assistant understands their role and how to reach their goals
- Prevents misunderstandings and sets a strong foundation for collaboration
- Builds a successful working relationship
- Enhances productivity and a smoother workflow
Virtual medical assistants are highly adaptable. With the myriad of online tools available, training and onboarding them will be easy.
Hiring a Virtual Assistant is Costly
There’s a misconception that virtual medical assistants are too expensive when, in fact, they’re a highly cost-effective solution.
Hiring one of these offshore professionals allows you to harness their expertise without the overhead costs associated with in-house employees. Since they work remotely, your practice will save considerably on office infrastructure, health insurance, payroll taxes, and other overhead expenses.
A distinct advantage of a virtual medical assistant is that you only pay for the hours worked, making them a more budget-friendly option.
Virtual Medical Assistants are a Temporary Solution
Virtual assistants provide short-term and long-term solutions designed to meet the diverse and evolving needs of your practice. If you only need a virtual assistant for seasonal work or specific campaigns, they can offer support and expertise on a short-term basis without long-term commitment.
A virtual assistant can also be a long-term employee. They’re able to provide continuous support and scale with your practice as it scales.
The adaptability of a virtual assistant helps your practice handle certain tasks and fluctuating workloads efficiently, ensuring smooth workflows during slow seasons or peak periods.
Virtual Medical Assistants are a Security Risk
Some practices shy away from hiring VAs because of the misconception that they can compromise protected health information (PHI). For medical practices, HIPAA compliance is non-negotiable.
By working with a HIPAA-compliant virtual assistant, you can be confident that patient data will be handled with utmost confidentiality. Virtual medical assistants undergo HIPAA training and stay updated on changes to implement the best practices and remain compliant.
They’re well-versed in HIPAA rules and ensure strict compliance when handling patient data. Additionally, they employ robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information from breaches and unauthorized access. They achieve this by utilizing access controls, encryption, and secure communication channels to protect PHI.
Virtual Assistants May Lack Professionalism
The idea that virtual medical assistants may lack professionalism is a misconception. It usually stems from the belief that remote work can promote a casual approach. However, that isn’t incorrect.
Professionalism isn’t restricted to a brick-and-mortar office. Skilled virtual assistants are professionals who strive to match a client’s work ethic.
They bring a diverse skillset that can complement the strengths of your in-house team and help your practice grow.
From handling patient calls to scheduling appointments and more, a skilled virtual assistant upholds the highest standards of professionalism in every interaction.
Virtual Medical Assistants are Not Reliable
Concerns about virtual assistants not being reliable are quite common. On the contrary, reliability isn’t exclusive to on-site hires.
Professional virtual assistants are as reliable as in-office employees, if not more. They can efficiently manage their tasks and streamline workflow. Plus, they’re committed to meeting deadlines.
That said, the reliability of a virtual medical assistant mainly hinges on the hiring and onboarding process. By selecting a virtual assistant from a top-rated agency like DocVA and setting clear expectations, you can ensure a high level of dedication and reliability.
Professional virtual assistants from reputable agencies undergo a rigorous vetting process and thorough training that sets them up for success in their roles. To further allay your fears, you can track your virtual assistant’s work. Applications such as Teramind, Timedly, and Time Doctor can help you monitor your remote employees’ work.
That way, you can track their productivity and ensure the timely completion of tasks, establishing trust and giving you peace of mind.
Experience the Virtual Assistant Advantage
DocVA’s HIPAA-compliant virtual medical assistants embody top-tier professionalism. They’re committed to delivering exceptional virtual assistance and can elevate your operations and productivity.
Are you ready to find out what a virtual medical assistant can do for your practice? Schedule your discovery call today with DocVA to learn more.